In the amusement devices industry, puzzles are often utilized to perform the dual functions of providing entertainment to their users while simultaneously educating their users. By incorporating an educational theme into a puzzle, the puzzle may serve as an educational device. The education and entertainment functions may be enhanced by providing a puzzle with multiple layers.
Previous attempts to provide multi-layered educational and entertaining puzzles are generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,709,660, to DeBracht;, U.S. Pat. No. 1,964,007, to Parks; U.S. Pat. No. 3,682,479, to Miller et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,331, to Rinken and U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,742, to Augustine, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. The devices described in each of these references generally function to both entertain and educate their users.
However, each of the devices described in these references includes a plurality of layers which depend upon each other in order to perform the educational and entertainment functions associated therewith. For example, the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,709,660, to DeBracht, describes an amusement device embodying a number of elements or members which are assembled together into various combinations, each producing the completed picture or representation of an object, building, place, or scene. However, the individual elements or members described in DeBracht do not, independent of the remaining elements or members, produce a completed picture or representation of an object, building, place, or scene. All of the various elements or members of the device described in DeBracht must be assembled together in order to produce a completed picture. The same limitation holds true for the various layers of the devices described in the remaining patents which have been incorporated herein by reference.
The puzzles described in Great Britain Patent No. 1,210,452 to Whitehead, and Great Britain Patent No. 419,311 to Kinnard, incorporated herein by reference, when assembled, form three-dimensional objects either simulating the three dimensions of the object portrayed by the puzzle or simulating a geometrical solid structure such as a cube or pyramid. This geometrical solid structure also results when the puzzles in the patents to Parks and Miller are assembled. The disadvantage of these puzzles is that the user, knowing the geometrical solid structure portrayed, anticipates the order of assembly, making assembly easier. Storage of these type of puzzles is awkward, since the puzzles are large and variously shaped, unlike standard jigsaw puzzles and these geometrically solid puzzles cannot be displayed on the wall as a decorative work.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a multi-layered device which both educates and entertains its users.
There is an additional need in the art for such a device to perform its functions with layers capable of independently educating and entertaining the device's users.
There is an additional need in the art for such a device to include a plurality of layers which share a common educational theme.
There is an additional need in the art for a multi-layered device which resembles a standard one-layer jigsaw puzzle to provide for more convenient storage and allow for display as a decorative work.